NASA's Educational Rockets Activities

External pdf download of NASA's Rocket Guide educational brief.

Industrial Strength Paper Rockets

Three versions of instructions for constructing the launcher for 'Industrial Strength Paper Rockets':

Rocket Launches - Freedom 7 Vs Saturn V

Two youtube videos to compare & consider f=ma

Space Based Maths Activities List

List of space based mathematics activities with resources on this site

Gravity & the Inverse Square Law

An applied use of inverse proportion. Good but difficult example!

How far away is the horizon from any given height?

Pupils use Pythagoras to work out how far away the horizon is from any given altitude. This file sets up the mathematical model and then gives the answer too. Here's an easier, more numeric version with the answers and working.

Would a cat land on its feet in Zero-G?

This question was put to NASA by a school pupil so they took a cat up in the Vomit-Comet to try to answer it. Here's what happened! (Not for animal lovers!)

Cannonball Orbit

Nice demo from NASA JPL that demonstrates how to put things into orbit.

Orbit Game

Shoot the comet to avoid the planets, and their gravitational fields.

Rocket Trigonometry & Rocket Paths

Two files to use when doing Water Rockets or Air Powered Rockets. The first is a PowerPoint show to explain briefly (assuming a minimal understanding of trigonometry) how we can use angle and distance to calculate the maximum height of the rocket. The second is an MS Excel worksheet that calculates max height from pupils measurements. I suggest that pupils practice using the formula by hand before they use this time saving tool.
US based Steve Spangler Science sell UV beads - they change colour in sunlight (UV light) - kids love them, they're a great Astronomy sellpoint. This link takes you to the UV beads page, this link takes you to the Steve Spangler mainpage. Prices are ok but postage isn't, worth it though in any case.

Dolls Head in a Vacuum

What would happen to you if you didn't wear a spacesuit on an EVA (extra vehicular activity) in space? Watch this to find out just one of the consequences. NOTE: Its 7.5Mb so only download through a broadband connection.

Altitudes

Pupils cut & arrange cards to learn about relative altitudes & distances from Earth of features, satellites (natural & artificial) & stars.

ISS Earth Circumference

Using a few easy to remember facts and knowledge of circle circumference formula, can you work out the circumference of the Earth?

Teachers notes, the answer and working. A printable version printable version. Or download all 3 files as a single zip file.

These files are headed with the Sun|Trek logo for which I produced them. More materials are at the Sun|Trek website.

Keplars Law

Pupils manipulate the distances of the planets from our Sun and the times taken for each to complete thier orbit to discover Keplars Law. Further teachers notes.

A previous version of this activity is at the Sun|Trek website.

Spatial Thinking with Planetary Nebulae

Pupils use cubes and recognise household items using the same skills as astronomers do with Hubble Space Telescope images of Planetary Nebulae. Here is much more detail & background to this activity. Use the files below:

Moon Hoax Photoset

Powerpoint file of some of the pictures & issues that are discussed in Moon Hoax Theories.